Decision Library
Pair of 5s vs dealer Ace · six decks · dealer stands on soft 17 · double after split allowed
Correct play
HitYou keep a positive expectation of +0.082 per unit here, and hitting beats doubling by 0.090 per unit.
Deals a pair of 5s against a dealer ace in the trainer, graded live.
Per unit bet, six decks, dealer stands on soft 17, computed by the engine.
| Option | EV / unit | vs. best |
|---|---|---|
| HitBest | +0.082 | — |
| Double | -0.008 | -0.090 |
| Surrender | -0.500 | -0.582 |
| Split | -0.570 | -0.651 |
| Stand | -0.666 | -0.747 |
Pair of 5s is too low to leave alone against a ace. Standing surrenders the hand to a dealer who reaches a pat total most of the time, so you take the card. Your bust risk on the hit is 0.0%, and against this upcard that risk is worth accepting.
Hitting returns +0.082 per unit versus -0.666 for standing, a +0.747 swing in favor of taking the card.
It is tempting to stand on 10 and hope the dealer busts, but against a ace that hope is too thin. Standing costs 0.747 per unit versus the correct hitting. Over a few hundred of these hands, that is real money handed back.
Same hand, different table conditions. The correct play holds unless noted.
| Table condition | Correct play |
|---|---|
| 6 decks, stands soft 17 (baseline) | Hit |
| 6 decks, hits soft 17 | Hit |
| Single deck, stands soft 17 | Hit |
| Double deck, stands soft 17 | Hit |
| No surrender offered | Hit |
The play is stable: hit is correct across deck counts, the soft-17 rule, and whether or not surrender is offered.
Strategy and expected values from a combinatorial engine validated against Wizard of Odds.